February Break at Franklin

As Franklin students we are so lucky to be studying "in the heart of Europe" just like the brochures say. Yes, it may sound cliche, but it is totally true! Switzerland is very centrally located and the fact that we are a 45min shuttle ride away from three different Milan airports opens up a world of travel possibilities. Two weekends ago Franklin students had the Friday off of school for February Break, and thanks to our global setting, many students used the long weekend to take an adventure!It is so fun to scan through my Instagram/Facebook feeds and see snapshots of such diverse places. Some students went to classic European cities like Berlin, London, Paris, and Barcelona. Others ventured to more unusual destinations like: Romania, Serbia, Morocco, and Hungary. While others took advantage of the beautiful country we live in and explored Zurich, Grindelwald, and even Lugano! I know that many of my friends back home like to tease me that I "don't actually go to school" because so many of my own instagram pictures are of me exploring Europe. But besides Academic Travel, I usually only go on 1 - 2 weekend trips a semester. So believe me, there is plennnttttyyy of school work and studying in my life. And this is true of most Franklin students! Moreover, this is going to sound corny, but I have LEARNED so much through travel! Life skills like how to navigate strange cities, how to budget for a weekend, and the pure amount of time and research it takes to plan a trip. But also, I have learned so much about European history and culture that I would never have in any classroom. I have stood on the corner in Sarajevo where World War I was effectively triggered, I was in Vatican City for the inauguration of the first non-European pope, while in Budapest (over February break) I toured the largest synagogue in Europe and learned how Hungarian Jews were persecuted during the Holocaust. So, while some people may gently tease, I have to disagree! I think Franklin students receive a world-class education thanks to travel opportunities, not in spite of them. But, I digress.

Back to my original point, we have some avid Instagram-ers here at Franklin and I thought it would be fun to do a little roundup of some weekend highlights!

Want to see more? Check out the #franklinswitzerland #februarybreak hashtags on Instagram and if you aren't already, follow the school's official account @franklinswitzerland! Do you agree that travel can be an invaluable aspect of learning? Feel free to sound off in the comments below.